Catherine Health Update

[PrettyFlyforaMaiTai]

She has released a video to state that she has completed her cancer treatment.

news.sky.com/story/kate-health-update-live-kate-has-new-perspective-on-everything-as-diagnosis-to-remain-private-13211996

So which bit of the Wales’ video focussed on the timelines of her treatment then, Tomortowjustyouwaitandsee? Or maybe that’s just what you’re reading into it?

@AnnieMcFanny I wish you all the best for a good year then remission for many many more 💐

I’m not interested in the royal family at all. Not in the slightest. I’m obviously sad for Kate and her young family that this has happened, as I would be for anyone in that position. I do find the video saccharine and smaltzy and unnecessary really. People saying it’s nice to have an insight in to their real lives have to remember that’s it’s a choreographed video. Just as Instagram posts and reels are not really representative and just put together for the viewer. A press statement would be fine. It just feels like some weird promo advert for Royal life and a bit tone deaf. (As well as the obvious waste of money as I’m sure it was not cheap to make) . I know it’s not a popular view but that doesn’t mean I don’t wish them well as I do, just unnecessary fodder for the zealots.

Perfectly happy with my posting style thank you and I stand by my comments and unlike you, I keep my user name throughout the RF threads and don’t hide behind name changes so perhaps it’s you who should reflect, particularly as your posting style is very distinctive, name changes don’t hide who is posting much as you might try.

Absolutely @Thedom the where is Kate threads were awful and certain posters trying to claim it was all just an interest in palace comms and no one said anything awful about Catherine, never mind the fact the posters were claiming she was either dead, in a coma, had been beaten up by William, was pregnant by Thomas Kingston, the list goes on, no nothing spiteful at all just a deep interest in palace PR.

I think it's a gorgeous video and thoughtful message, it's good to see Catherine looking so well and I sincerely hope she remains in good health.
Whilst not everyone is easily able to access nice beaches most people can at least visit a nice park. Being connected to nature has been shown to improve physical and mental health. Something Monty Don often espouses on Gardners' World from his garden with the Grape vine greenhouse and the tomato greenhouse and the geranium greenhouse and the cutting and seedling greenhouse along with the many sheds of various uses.
The new cancer centre at the Royal United Hospital in Bath, recently officially opened by The Queen has themed its decor around "Land, Water and Sky".
James Dyson who is worth £23billion according to Wikipedia donated a paltry £4million but gets the kudos of his name on the building.

So all in all I think Catherine's message is heartfelt and well chosen and certainly doesn't merit some of the mean spirited criticism meted out.

ruhx.org.uk/dyson-cancer-centre/the-art-of-the-dyson-cancer-centre/

I believe Lady Dyson donated a work of art.

Personally I think billionaires should fund the whole building to get their names on the building but that's just me.

Ultimately, there will be those who didn't care much for the style of the video, but it has proven to be overwhelmingly popular despite some of the critique of the production of it.

Those of us who have been through cancer, know the relief of finishing treatment, and yet the fear of what could still be around the corner, it takes a long time before the ghost of cancer disappears into the background and you begin to really believe that you are possibly one of the lucky ones who is on the right side of statistics.

Like the majority, I think it was a beautiful video of a beautiful family, no matter what their privileges may be.

@Tomorrowjustyouwaitandsee

"I am not sure that it will draw in younger supporters who are a bit too knowing about how these shoots are put together, but perhaps the forty-five and above age range?"

Interesting that you think this was the intention of this shoot. Such a shame that you possess such an ageist point of view however. It's actually quite a ludicrous statement.

@Tomorrowjustyouwaitandsee

"So by your reckoning, anyone who doesn’t like this video and found it overly idealised and rather tone deaf is automatically a ghoul? I see 🙄"

I could write similar but including your opinion of people aged 45 and above.

So by your reckoning, anyone who likes this video and found it lovely is unable to see past the idealisation shown in such a shoot automatically aged 45 or over? I see 🙄

"And most important of all, I am not sure they thought enough about how this film would come across to ordinary cancer patients suffering in the NHS system."

The same old mantra used against Kate every single time her illness is mentioned. It's a vile attack wrapped in the cosy blanket of "care and concern".

There is an interesting discussion to be had on PR in general. My understanding was that the late Queen refused to have the notorious 1960s film shown again because she felt it removed some of the mystique of monarchy if you show them at breakfast chatting over the tupperware.

She may have been correct for the 1960s but times have changed and I think in the age of social media the public expect to see glimpses of the working royals off duty. Obviously they are not going to do candid camera type things but this video is a glimpse albeit a staged glimpse of the life the Waleses lead as a family when off duty.

In PR terms I think the palace are in a bind. The media will always demand more access and more detail and every line crossed is a step you can't take back. Charles was open about his prostrate and cancer being found but he chose not to say what type of cancer he had. Catherine chose to not name her specific abdominal surgery or cancer and each of them came under pressure to give more information.

I believe this sort of decision is up to them. The storm in the media this year over each statement, photo or video has shown that the media will always demand more, social media will always demand more. All an individual with a public role can do is choose how they will communicate, what they will communicate and leave it at that.

If nothing else I think PR in an age of social media and 24 hour news can no longer even hope to control the narrative. Choose a line and stick to it at least limits the life cycle of any story people choose to pick up.

Interesting point about life cycle which is why I read somewhere that some celebs choose to wear the same outfits out and about rather than a different one as limits the amount of press attention.

Are you seriously suggesting that any of the royals have to wait in a queue and have their operations cancelled like ordinary NHS patients and that their status doesn’t give them privileges in that area?

Yes totally agree MrsLeonFarrell and the very tricky bit is where they decide to draw the line. Far from easy.

Calm down. It’s hardly a ‘vile attack’. Massive overreaction. 🙄

I liked the video and I’m really pleased she’s on the mend. I have to say those children are picture book beautiful aren’t they? Gorgeous family.

No it isn’t. I genuinely wish her well.

But I am beginning to think that some royalist posters are pushing this narrative strategically to undermine anyone who has an opinion that is contrary to theirs.

I also feel concern for people going through hellish waiting times for cancer diagnosis, treatment and after-care in the NHS, the latter being non-existent in my family member’s post code apparently. You are lucky if you get an operation done in the same six months it is scheduled. The communication is awful. The whole experience massively more stressful and draining that it needs to be because they have to fight for every bit of care they get when they are not naturally assertive and are feeling ill and weak.

I am not sure that Catherine’s video tallies well with their experience and some cancer patients on Mumsnet have already said that it doesn’t. So why continually contest the fact that, to some cancer patients, the video appears to be a bit tone deaf?

I have to work now so if I don’t reply that’s why.

@Trixiefirecracker don't tell me to calm down. I am totally calm and I see people for what they are. I will use whatever words I like and yes I do think it is vile to attack someone in this way. It is such an obvious ploy all the while pretending to be Lady Bountiful.

No. I’m asking what is it about the video - images of a family spending time together and a voice over about the personal impact of the diagnosis and qualified hopes for the future - have to do with political issues about the funding of the NHS? Because I can’t see any link myself.

Not all NHS patients have poor treatment journeys by the way (I have experience in my own family of this, from an NHS Trust in special measures). Would you hunt for Facebook updates of those who received a diagnosis and treatment within the NHS best practice timelines and tell them off for posting about the end of their treatment as other patients have had sub-optimal journeys?

I AM interested in the RF and I'm a mild royalist, but I too find it saccharine and I think, on here, many people would probably agree with that. It's not my cup of tea, but nevertheless I'm so glad to see them as a family and hope Catherine is now on the way to recovery (I know that's not a given).

But I think they're damned if they do, and damned if they don't. I really hope they didn't feel forced into this by the horrible SS bullying about Catherine and William being lazy, her not having cancer at all, their marriage being on the rocks and William beating her up - and worse. Can you imagine that being said about you as well as having cancer? That poor woman, her poor husband and children (not to mention parents). I think she's a model of dignity under pressure.

To anyone with any perception, they are a happy couple, comfortable in each other's company and (until now) not feeling it necessary to do performative PDAs. This is probably just a one-off attempt to show them as a family, not as royals as a foil to their more professional public personae.

Your post reminded me, at least, that this situation is not a PR game for the woman involved. I can imagine her and W telling the PR team to back off, and then doing what was right for them as a family. And they have the right to do this, despite their royal status and all the privileges it brings.

Thise who are criticising the PR strategy are dehumanising this family.

👏 👏 👏

I've only recently been diagnosed and have faced no delay in my diagnosis and have been given access to more testing than I knew existed.

I also don't have to particularly worry about any financial impact, have access to outside space and nature and none of the concerns that some people do.

That makes me extremely fortune, not any less worthy of anyone's sympathy.

It doesn't have to be a race to the bottom.

I'll bet that her message gave more comfort than consternation to families hit by this devastating disease.

It's ok to say you don't like the styling or that the message doesn't resonate with your experience.

But don't make it about them and us.

My Ddad died of cancer after five years, he had access to all the money in the world and access to the top global specialists in their field.
He still died of this cruel disease.

Agree.

The PR angle on here leaves a very bad taste (as it did when it was used before). It is dehumanising.

Don’t forget that most of the posts about the Mother’s Day photo (as well as the blurry shot of her with her mother and with William in the car at Windsor, not to mention the video from the farm shot at Windsor) were all said to have necessarily been fake because Kate was dead/in a coma/divorced and so a desperate PR campaign of fakes was needed. All of which was utter nonsense. As said, the Wales’ were simply maintaining their privacy as much as possible while not always remaining cloistered behind palace walls.